Mission Venture Ministries

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14) 

The true church is neither a denomination nor a building. It is an assembly of born-again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who have been called out of the world as a people for God’s own possession (Titus 2:11-14). Universally, it includes all who have repented and believed the glorious Gospel of grace and who have been purified by the blood of Jesus, sealed by the Holy Spirit and sanctified by the truth of God’s Word (John 17:17). Ephesians 1:13 states that: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” 

As members of the true church we are called saints because “you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19). 

The true church member’s names are inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life in heaven and their imperishable inheritance is protected by the power of almighty God (Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 1:4). In the same way, they let their light shine before others, that they may see their good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). 

We need to understand that even a sound church unfortunately includes both believers and unbelievers; reason being that there are many who “profess” Christ but do not “possess” Christ. They are religious, but have no relationship with Christ. Their names are on church rolls, but not in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Jesus calls them “tares” who have been sown by the devil among the “wheat” (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). These tares will one day hear the most terrifying words they could ever hear when Jesus declares, “I never knew you, depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23). 

It is easy to get ensnared by the idea that a particular denomination within Christianity is “the true church,” but this view is a misunderstanding of Scripture. When choosing a church to attend, it is important to remember that a gathering of believers should be a place where those who belong to the true church (the spiritual entity) feel at home. That is to say, a good local church will uphold the Word of God, honoring it and preaching faithfully, proclaim the gospel steadfastly, and feeds and tends the sheep. 

Members of the true church always enjoy agreement in and fellowship around Jesus Christ, as He is plainly revealed in His Word. This is what is referred to as Christian unity. Another common mistake is to believe that Christian unity is just a matter of agreeing with one another. Simple agreement for the sake of agreement does not speak the truth in love or spur one another on to unity in Christ; rather, it encourages believers to refrain from speaking difficult truths. It sacrifices true understanding of God in favor of a false unity based on disingenuous love that is nothing more than selfish tolerance of sin in oneself and others. 

Members of the true church enjoy every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). These blessings include – the complete forgiveness of sins (Colossians 2:13-14), the promise of never being condemned again (Romans 8:1), the gift of Christ’s righteousness (Romans 5:17), the assurance of eternal life (John 10:28) and an eternal relationship with God through the one mediator Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). 

The true church is the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17) and the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 12:27). It cannot be contained, walled in, or defined by anything other than its love for Christ and its dedication to Him.

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